


Better Than None

by Artemis1000



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Dysfunctional Relationships, Enemy Lovers, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 10:23:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16038521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis1000/pseuds/Artemis1000
Summary: “Tell me, Poe, do you always romanticize your own destruction?”Poe knows he shouldn't keep meeting with Kylo Ren. There is nothing of Ben Solo left in him. But he's never known when it's time to accept defeat.





	Better Than None

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lucymonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucymonster/gifts).



“Tell me, Poe, do you always romanticize your own destruction?”

Poe looks into Kylo Ren’s eyes, glittering cold and black like some rare metal found on an asteroid in outer space, and finds nothing of Ben Solo at all.

These days, he never does.

He keeps meeting him anyway. It’s not like he has a choice – not one he could accept, anyway. To walk away is even more impossible than to stay and smile at these cold, hungry eyes of a stranger.

He smiles at the stranger now and his answering smile turns sharper. Kylo’s teeth gleam white. “You know me. I’ve always been a hopeless romantic,” Poe quips and nearly flinches at his own words. They ring too close to the truth for comfort.

“I know.” Kylo doesn’t even sound triumphant, just pleased with himself in the way of someone who had always known his plans would work out and merely been biding his time.

Poe keeps smiling and reminds himself that this too is what people call love.

Fairy tales teach you that love is beautiful. Life has taught Poe that love hurts. But that too is love.

Or maybe he is doing everything that Kylo is accusing him of and is just too blind to see. He has never been good at giving up on a lost cause. Kylo would often tell him so when he still went by Ben Solo. Now he is the most lost cause of all Poe has ever known.

Kylo cups his cheek. His touch is tender like a lover’s caress. He is always tender when he touches Poe. He still makes his body sing - he has no need for cruel hands when kindness cuts deeper. He kisses Poe as gently as he touches him and curls into him, his other arm snaking around Poe’s waist and pulling him flush against him.

Poe sighs into the kiss and presses against him, his naked body pressed against Kylo’s. He can still feel every caress. Once, he had thought this was a sign of hope. Nowadays, he doubts his judgment.

He can touch Kylo’s body but his mind, his heart remains always just out of reach – yet just barely out of reach, too close for him to walk away. Time and patience have helped no more than pleading. Not even anger moves him anymore. It had, at first, when he was only just falling. The only anger that matters to him now is his new Master’s.

And still, Poe keeps coming when Kylo calls for him.

“Ben…” A finger against his lips silences him.

“You know better.” Kylo doesn’t sound angry but stern.

Even after everything he has done, Poe doesn’t fear him. He really should know better than to think he would. “Ben,” he says again, carefully enunciated, driven by sheer contrariness now.

“Don’t.” Kylo’s eyes have hardened to something between hurt and anger but Poe still doesn’t fear.

“There are a lot of things I shouldn’t do,” Poe reminds him. His voice is almost kind, but only almost. It’s hard to be kind to what has become of the man he loves.

He shouldn’t be here at all. Not after everything Kylo Ren has done, after the Jedi Academy, after joining the First Order, embracing the Dark Side, all these unforgivable sins. Some things have to remain unforgivable – and Poe hasn’t forgiven, he just… He can’t walk away. Ben Solo has become Kylo Ren but Poe had promised him forever and Ben still wants his forever even if he wants nothing else.

“You’re still here,” Kylo reminds him. His fingers comb gently through Poe’s hair, just like he used to do in better days.

Poe smiles. Mournfully. “And so are you.”

For once, Kylo has no answer for him, not even a gleaming white smile, and Poe decides it’s as close to victory as he can come these days.

Soon, they will go separate ways – Poe will once more be the dutiful New Republic pilot and Kylo Ren Snoke’s dark apprentice but Poe will cling to the memories of this moment and he can only hope Kylo, too, will cling to him.

And when he calls for him, Poe won't walk away.


End file.
